Can anyone ID this frame? Thinking about it for a front axle donor for '62 K10

[Brad54]

Title says it all.
Looking at this frame and wondering if it'll work for a front axle donor for my '62 K10.
Benefits are disc brakes, power steering and open knuckle.
Cons are it doesn't seem to have lock-out hugs. That's a fairly significant problem...
I hate to open up a can of worms, because I would like to get into my '62 K10 resto without spending a ton of money replacing every major component... but power steering and disc brakes would be nice...

[andrewmp6]

I can't view the pictures big enough to see what axle it is.

[special-K]

Matchbox? Hot Wheels?

[Brad54]

Well damn.
Let's try this then. (and please, don't anyone snake it out from under me if it's what I need!)
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/sat/cto/5433964662.html

[Livrat]

That looks to be a 73 and up frame, since there is a fuel tank in the rear I would say Blazer, if it has a 12 bolt rear axle and a dana 44 front I would say pre 1978

[kwmech]

74-75 suburban frame. Looks too long to be a K5. 44 front has a flat top knuckle on the pass side. And it originally came with a V8, more than likely a turbo 350 with a 203 t-case

[El Dorado Jim]

I agree , 73 or newer, chevy blazer or suburban, depending on wheelbase, very easy to add locking hubs, like KWmech said, came with turbo 350/203 t case, full time 4wd,hence, no locking hubs...any 1/2 ton hubs for those year trucks will work....too bad you aren't closer to me, I have a 78 3/4 ton 4x4 truck would let you have for the same price as that 1/2 ton chassis

[Brad54]

I've got two closed-knuckle Dana 44 difs here already... I just read about the long spring conversion and the addition of a factory sway bar, which sounds like something I need to do. (Project truck is a '62 K10 long-step).
Power steering would be nice, as would disc brakes.
But the question becomes which makes more sense from a money standpoint: rebuilding the closed-knuckle I've got, or spending $500 for that chassis and rebuilding that dif, and then buying locking hubs as well.

[kwmech]

If it was me rebuilding a 62. I would do the upgrade.

[special-K]

I've always stayed away from trucks with NP203. But, isn't there more to it than just installing lockout hubs? I remember there was a part-time kit required for the 203 to eliminate the full-time mistake. I wouldn't want a front axle that had lockouts for it's 40 year life. But I think that frame hasn't been down the road in a long long time. I bought a K/20 back in '77 that had the exact same bias ply 11-15 (notice old sizing?) Summit Wide Climbers. I was 22 then and am 60 now, so...
I think it's a K/5 frame. It looks that short and lacks body mounts a Suburban would have

[El Dorado Jim]

Originally Posted by special-K

I've always stayed away from trucks with NP203. But, isn't there more to it than just installing lockout hubs? I remember there was a part-time kit required for the 203 to eliminate the full-time mistake. I wouldn't want a front axle that had lockouts for it's 40 year life. But I think that frame hasn't been down the road in a long long time. I bought a K/20 back in '77 that had the exact same bias ply 11-15 (notice old sizing?) Summit Wide Climbers. I was 22 then and am 60 now, so...
I think it's a K/5 frame. It looks that short and lacks body mounts a Suburban would have

yeah. there was a kit that went in the trans case to make it part time, and it came with locking hubs...all you need to do is get locking hubs for a 70's 1/2 ton, I would do the upgrade to open knuckle and disc brakes...I also would go 3/4 ton axles, that is all I have in my trucks though, just prefer the 8 lugs

[andrewmp6]

Unless you need the frame and everything on it i would pass on it.You can get a 73-87 1/2 ton front axle from a junkyard for maybe half that price.As rusty as the frame is and how old those tires are its not been a running truck for 15 years i bet.

[61K10]

If you don't care about being stock find a wrecked tk and use the axles/trans fer case/power steering/disc brakes etc. something with a 205 t/f case as you won't like the 221 as being very noise. way cheaper in the long run. ck out my build thread if you want to keep the closed knuckle and add disc brakes. have fun

[special-K]

That's another thought I had I see someone brought up, if an axle assembly is all you need you can get that for less that $500

[andrewmp6]

What all parts do you need tho ?

[61K10]

you would need ft and rear axles if you want an open knuckle ft axle with disc. the gear ratio in your 62 is 3.90 rear and 3.92 up front if stock. 63 up would be 3.73 probably. no 3.73's for the eaton Ho rear. I snow-ball's pretty quick. I would say $500 is fair for that frame as you would have everything you need. looks like surface rust on the frame also not too bad. I ain't gonna be cheap no mater what you do, as you probably know from the list of you heard.

[Mike C]

$500 not unreasonable, but that is just what he is asking... I have several Craigslist' trucks for WAY less than the asking price.

As mentioned above, by getting both ends you will most likely have matching gear sets. Might score a limited slip as well (probably a Gov-Bomb, but whatever). Those capped hubs are indicative of the NP203 behind a TH350 also as mentioned above.

I'd ask about driveshafts and any other parts you might get for your $300 offer...

[Brad54]

Thanks guys.
Still mulling everything over in my head on this build.
LOTS of things to come together.

I've got a line on a Dana 44 rear with 3.55 Posi in it. For what I'm going to use the truck for, the 44 will more than likely be just fine. (light 'wheeling, hunting, construction site)
With a Dana 44 front, I figure I can get a take-out dif from a jeep just like I did for the factory 44 under my '62 Suburban.

With 3.55 gears and the divorced t-case, I can run my 4spd OD manual trans with .73:1 overdrive, making the truck go down the road real nice.
4Lo in the T-case will let me take it into the woods. 4Lo and Granny 1st is just too deep for what I use trucks for.

So, given all that, I guess what I'm really after is a front open-knuckle axle, disc brakes, and the correct power steering box.

I also want to keep the stock pizza-cutters on the truck, and that will require a pair of later 15x6 4-nub wheels. I've got two sets of stock 3-nub drum-brake-only wheels (one of them restored already), and I also have a set of 15x8 steelies with the correct fronts.

And I've also seen that it would be good for me to get the later, longer leaf springs, especially for a truck driven on the streets.
That frame looks like it also comes with a front sway bar.
BUT, I'd still have to convert the front hubs to lockouts, which adds more expense...

Damn, nothing is ever simple.


-Brad

[andrewmp6]

If you get time go to a local junkyard see what they charge for axles,You could grab both axles from a 73-87 1/2 ton pretty cheap if you shop around.

[special-K]

I took this picture of my Dodge with Summit Wide Climbers in '78 before heading out to Florida for the winter. That thing has sat idle for eons. I wonder how long w/o a body.